Organic photo conductor (OPC) drums for image forming apparatuses often need replacing prior to the imaging cartridge the OPC drums are installed into. Thus, there is motivation to replace an OPC and keep using the existing imaging cartridge. However, imaging cartridges are often formed of molded plastic or metal and are not designed to readily accept a new OPC drum. The HP2600 manufactured by Hewlett-Packard Company of Palo Alto, Calif. is an example of such an imaging cartridge. Therefore, it is difficult to replace an OPC drum without damaging the imaging cartridge.
Davison et al. describe in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0269232 A1 that an OPC drum can be removed from an imaging cartridge by cutting the OPC drum into smaller pieces. A new OPC drum can then be installed by providing a bushing within the original non-driven socket in the frame, providing the non-driven end of the replacement cylinder with a cap having a bore therein, inserting the replacement cylinder into an operative position in the frame, and then inserting a headed pin through the bushing and the cap to provide a bearing.
Accordingly, the method according to Davison et al. requires several structural additions and modifications to the OPC drum and the imaging cartridge.
Williams et al. describe another solution as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,424,244. Here, Williams et al. discuss replacing the flange structures of the new OPC drum and using an external hub to connect the new OPC drum to the imaging cartridge. These new structures can be axially screwed together to ensure proper connections.